A001002 Blackfriars to Brighton, Driver POV

Route Learning Video covering the Thameslink service from Blackfriars down to Brighton

[@MarkShannonroad_videos]

Would be nice to have a nationwide passenger rail system like this here in the USA. Too bad we had to embrace the car like we did. Oh sure we have Amtrak, but it's nothing like this. I can see why it would take a while to learn the route. Quite complex. Thank you for uploading this and I look forward to more!

[@KasabianFan44]

Wow, it's crazy to see how much the line has changed in the last 10 years! Just some things I've noticed: • The lines between Blackfriars/Charing Cross and London Bridge have finally been untangled, with the Blackfriars branch now on a separate, newly-built pair of tracks (here, their construction had barely even started). • London Bridge now has 9 through platforms instead of 6, while the Charing Cross, Blackfriars and Cannon Street lines are now all conflict-free from each other. This video clearly shows what a mess that station was back then - in fact platform 6 was at the time the single busiest platform in all of Europe! (At least excluding underground and metro lines.) • The Bermondsey dive-under wasn't a thing yet back then; Thameslink and Southeastern trains had to cross on the flat. • Gatwick Airport didn't have a platform 7 yet! Back in those days, terminating Gatwick Express trains had to cross over to platforms 1 and 2 on the opposite side of the station in order to terminate, which caused a load of delays. Nowadays because of this extra platform, GX trains can terminate at platforms 5 and 6, completely conflict-free from the “slow” tracks. • Thameslink and Gatwick Express still operated with 319s and 442s. • 4-car trains were still a regular sight on the line back then - thankfully now they’re just a thing of the past (except on the Reigate services). • Out of the five foot crossings on the line (35:20, 36:30, 52:09, 59:17 and 1:05:54), four have now been removed. Balcombe crossing (52:09) was replaced with a footbridge over the tracks in 2015; Dean Farm crossing (35:20) went the same way in 2018. Denehurst crossing (36:30) was closed in 2017 and was due to be replaced with a pedestrian subway under the tracks, but since it doesn’t connect to anything important on the east side, the progress on that has been very slow, and as of 2021 the path still hasn’t fully reopened. Finally, Woodside crossing (1:05:54) was closed in June 2021 and is due to be replaced by a subway next February. Thus, only Bedelands crossing (59:17) remains. • The vast majority of the signals en route have now been replaced by LED signals. • The section between Three Bridges and Haywards Heath was still signalled with SIMBIDS at the time; now it's fully signalled in both directions. (By the way, does anyone know when this section was resignalled?...)

[@ace-paidinfull5240]

And to add to that, 375s were still using the southeastern livery of white & yellow instead of just the blue, now its just ugly 376s everywhere lol and also the 465/6s were using southeastern white & yellow😍

[@ianhosier4042]

Probably just as well. What a bloody nightmare of tangled trains and tracks just getting out of London. The track was in a terrible condition back then too - a consequence of years of neglect by successive labour governments.

[@avgfree21]

@@ianhosier4042 Blame Thatcher and privating BR

[@paulhollis8879]

@@avgfree21 Thatcher didn’t privatise BR. And anyway it’s nationalised now. You are probably too young to remember just how bad BR was.

[@larryrwendelljr4465]

The was a lovely trip for me, as I have never been overseas, ever, not that I don't want to come, just don't have that kind of money and health to do it, so I travel this way, and this video, Thanks to the driver of this train, I get to see it from a different perspective, which is so nice. Thank you very much!

[@locomotive1956]

Thanks for the video. I live in New Jersey ,USA and I'd like to visit England. Right now I don't have the money to do it. My grandparents were born in Nottingham and there are relatives I've never met. Would be a great experience. Maybe someday. These video's give me a little taste of your life. Thankyou again!

[@6o11ocks]

Two years on some stretches of line have significantly changed; especially leaving Blackfriars now the bay platforms are in use. The work at London Bridge has also marched on in leaps and bounds. But then locations such as skew bridge never seem to change (30.41 - passing over slow lines). The wide tenfoot at Forest Hill (23:45) was to accommodate platforms for teams of ticket inspectors to board the non-corridor steam trains. Clayton Tunnel (1:09:18) one of the bedroom's in the railwayman's cottage about the arch is actually in one of the turret!

[@emanuelleandro8673]

I'm a fan of track and enjoyed the video. I loved the course and the fog. A hug here in Brazil!

[@DavidChapmanAZ]

Thanks for sharing. Nice view of the Shard early on. Quite a busy stretch of rail there passing London Bridge.

[@dodgydruid]

See the ol' carriage sidings gone at Blackfriars ramp, I spent a good part of my life bouncing along that line in old EPB's halcyon days. I can just remember sitting in the slower Orpington stopping to CX waiting for the 206 Hastings to thunder through or hoping one of me dads friends would let me have an "unofficial" drop off at Grove Park on the Hastings DMU's as they didn't stop there. My dad was a signalman on those panels and he started work at London Bridge with colour in his hair and left some years later with hair as white as snow, them approaches to London Bridge were an absolute nightmare and monday morning platform six at London Bridge used to be the pits lol

[@valtrus901]

Thanks for the video, Darren. Love the train route and the extensive, integrated train traffic that I assume to be rush hour in London, clearly known for fogs......lol. Interesting ride, punctuated by different scenery and tunnels, which doesn't make for a boring ride at all in addition to the fact that the trains run on third rails for such a distance. Couldn't happen here in the States for safety and security reasons. Much appreciated.........

[@Clavichordist]

Great video, Darren. I enjoyed the beginning part the most with the complex junctions and signals which as so complicated to model in simulators and in real model railroads. I've been attempting something like this in virtual form, only to have my train drivers go nuts and tie up the junctions and passing loops!

[@deejaytee5481]

I used to use the train from Airwick Gatport to Brighton regularly, and how I used to hate that announcement ' stopping at ALL stations to Brighton'! After a 3 hour flight and a schlep from terminal 2, all I wanted to do was get home! Some services only stopped at 3 stations, but there was no way of knowing that until it was too late! Nowadays, I use National Express, it's more comfy, just as cheap and stops nearer my home. I still like trains, though, and if I could have travelled in the cab, I'd still be using them! I guess I'll have to be satisfied with Train Simulator and KZbin until then! Great video, though, Enjoyed every minute!

[@edelsonbp]

Darren Cafferty, thank you for your video. I am subscribed to on KZbin. When Europe, I want to leave a few days for trains from England, which is a fantastic country and admirable. Hugs, Edelson / South Brazil

[@allthingstrainzyt1095]

And London Bridge has had a HuGeEeeEeEe, redo, it looks amazing 🤩

[@allthingstrainzyt1095]

“A LOT OF THINGS HAVE CHANGED” is all I can say!

[@dodgydruid]

Aw the old art deco signal box at Forest Hill has gone, what is funny is my old TOPS office portakabin is STILL there at Norwood Jcn, really wished I had stayed with the railways, I loved it, whether lamping the Exeter-Waterloo's when I was down the lamp arch to just travelling the old SR for fun, great video 10/10

[@mrlakey123]

This is my top video on you tube. Thank you. I get so excited as it leaves Brighton.

[@joeytruelove]

I think one of the issues is some nitwit must have cracked the idea: "Hey, what if we had several central london stations and terminuses service every destination!". So instead of running shuttle trains or having travellers choose the underground we hav this surface train mess. And to add injury to insult: "Now let's privatise this whole shebang so one hand doesn't know what the other is up to"

[@ds1868]

It doesn't work like that. Also the British invented the train. Be thankful.

[@joeking5310]

This is because way back before nationalisation in the 40's, several different rail companies wanted to get their trains to the biggest population centre's. Just be thankful we still have this "mess". I would prefer to have more of what we once had, but an idiot called Beeching......

[@nanba25]

3rd rail has an advantage : not to visually pollute the landscape, (and less iron used for the same power supply) Sometimes, the track setting recalls the time of steam power, especially around tunnels and trenches, very little has changed there Thanks for sharing

I do not feel offended just about other countries and their inhabitants, I am of European descent, and not so critical. Each country has its strengths and weaknesses. This country is the world's most cosmopolitan aggregating all races on the planet, everyone who came here They built families and our culture. Including Asians.

[@eddherring4972]

1:09:19 Clayton Tunnel looming out of the foggy landscape, it’s an amazingly atmospheric moment.

[@JimmySlade323]

Great video. I would like to ride on British rail, in the country where rail transport was born

[@spencerhardy8667]

Much better than the 1988 version with Danny Glover and Mel Gibson, though here they never seem to catch up with whoever they are chasing. Superb acting and script. Sounds like a genuine London train driver.

[@AsboJunior]

eh??

[@brunoignaciogi]

jajajajaajajaja

[@briandimond2922]

spencer hardy 0

[@lanzecki]

Thanks for sharing. I've been looking for this drive for a while. I used to live in Worthing, change at Brighton and get off at Burgess Hill.

[@siramudumari3558]

Great video. Thank you.

[@Kurrotako]

Thanks Darren for your videos a bout trains .

[@freqeist]

49 and I still love this shit.

[@DuchessofArgyll]

BR days in an Hastings unit are brought to mind except is way smoother and a lot quieter. I guess the drivers feel better about the run too especially the ones driving the Belle.

Se um dia você vier para o Brasil te mostrarei como adoramos todos os cidadaos do mundo, quando nos conhecer, vai gostar do povo. Tenho amigos japoneses, chineses e sul coreanos, todos tem familia e são boas pessoas. Uma Boa Noite !

[@darrencafferty]

That's why you spend 100's of hours learning every inch of the Route before you're let loose on it. :)

[@irelandbloke]

Super video !

[@andrewdavies3438]

15 mins from Blackfriars to London Bridge??? I could have hopped on one leg quicker that that!

[@dennisroyhall121]

Andrew Davies Yep

[@dennisroyhall121]

Britain's fastest rail service: must be the Southern. Aye, indeed, the Southern, or so-called, that has the gall to call itself such. It would be better advised to read the histories of both The Southern Railway AND The London, Brighton & South Coast Railway, both of which could put the present so-called Southern to shame.

[@PenzancePete]

It's Right Away. The indicator is activated by the platform staff to authorise the Driver to start away from the station.

[@SMILEVIDEOTRAINS]

Really enjoyed this video. Thank you for sharing

[@hostile177]

Nice. I wish these were a higher resolution though. What kind of train is that to the left at 29:00?

[@traintube6431]

It is a ews/db class 66

[@TheGateway37]

East Croydon, South Croydon and Purley Oaks missed out.

[@elliotjelliot2321]

This video is to do with railways not about the country it is filmed, however I live in England and I am insulted by your comments. I do not think you would like people telling you how bad your country is.

[@hezmeister]

i didn't know that, been a long time since i've been over on that line, last i was there, the 319's had the thameslink livery, and the hst's had the intercity livery

[@pjt1974]

Excellent video's Darren

[@darrencafferty]

There's a spot south of Three Bridges which is 100mph but everywhere else it's the usual 90mph

[@davidfrobel7582]

true,,and there is not so many road crossings as here in the US and its all fenced off in the UK

[@Phil6219]

If you keep an eye on the mirrors on some platforms you see the reflection of a 319. Anyway, thanks for sharing - I used to live by Three Bridges :D

[@TheAirsoftAction]

The people do have lives like they do in any other country around the world, and if the world was not dull and boring the world you live in now would look like the flintstones...

[@Wikkus]

If I may, try Googling "nationalrail" and use the first link. Tell it from/to and it'll tell you how to do it. Britain isn't a big island, but it's the birthplace of railways, so we have a lot of them :) I'd recommend three routes that railway fans should experience: the Hope Valley line between Manchester and Sheffield, the Great Western Mainline along the South Devon "English Riviera" coast between London and Penzance and the West Highland line between Glasgow and Oban in Scotland. YMMV :)

[@windsoord]

Anybody else miss East Croydon?

[@peterlane354]

And South Croydon and Purley Oaks

[@MrDjphil1976]

Great video thanks

[@johnboughton7451]

Is there a chance to get an updated version of this run including all the new rail alignment? Really enjoyed watching your upload thanks for taking the time to film edit and post

[@JDJLalor]

Thought there was a bit of gap there alright. East Croydon was my local station at various times. Ah me - Brockley, New Cross Gate, Forest Hill, Sydenham, Anerley, Norwood Junction, East Croydon, Purley...

[@class313]

It is a 319. You can tell by the break release sounds.

[@Planeswalker0]

Yeh my guess is he is driving a class 319 EMU. The heater sounds familiar

[@akhenaten01]

It would be good to see this route on a nice sunny day. I would like to see complete route from Bedford to Brighton. is it against the rules for a train driver to record there routes, without permission?.

[@GreatElectricLocos]

Awesome Video! thanks for sharing it :)

[@davidfrobel7582]

grate video,strange the trains don't have better lights for the driver to see where he is going in the dark, that always puzzled me about trains in the UK,

[@AndreiTupolev]

Why was the bit from East Croydon to Purely edited out?

[@dogy305]

I said I'm not hating on him. I don't drive trains, so I wanted to know what it meant when there's a yellow. By all means feel free to take a proper read at the disclaimer of my question.

[@jd68ify]

super video, merci!!

[@lasalleman]

Great ride!

[@darrencafferty]

Metropolitan Junc is always fun :)

[@Thom518]

Very nice !

[@karlr42]

Definitely rush hour, the driver mentions they are meant to be at London Bridge for 9:12 when they are stuck at the first red.

[@FalconSupreme]

Railways as we know them today had their origin in Britain. It's wonderful to see the evolution they have gone through since Stephenson's Rocket. At the age of Victorian engineers such as Isombard Kingdom Brunel there have been quite some structural and technological developments. Very interesting and indeed it's not about a country. But come to speak of it, yes Brazil is quite criminal especially the favelas of Rio. Really UGLY!!

[@davidfrobel7582]

interesting, thanks, not here, and the tracks are not fenced off like there

[@ds1868]

Well said, thanks!!

[@ETOPSriskier]

Thanks for posting such a fascinating video, would have been even better if there was some indication of the speed.

[@terratec1001]

@3m50s The driver sounds pissed off at having to wait at red signal.

[@ACELog]

Why was East Croydon edited out? Update: just heard him say the camera shut off

[@dogy305]

So why did you drive through a yellow around the 6 minute mark? (Not hating or anything. Just curious)

[@brownboybilly]

Uno) You did';t ask what a yellow was, you asked why he drove through it. 3) I don't do disclaimers.

[@2OQP]

The Shard. During contruction.

[@hellooohowareudoing]

Thanks for pointing that out, for a moment I thought it was the Shard-completed.

[@5mnz7fg]

Sorry for having seasons in Europe... But as for the British trains, they appear to me coloured like parrots.^^ In Brasil they have hardly trains left, unfortunately, haven`t they?

[@wendymeredith1308]

I wish you could put the station names and road intersections please and tunnel s also please

[@tannagra]

I suppose as long as he/she can see the signals, more a signal issue than the train lights issue, that's it really, that and knowing which station you're approaching - it's not like you can get lost i suppose, or can you?

[@dennispocock8369]

pity some of it is missing, ie between Norwood junction and Purley!

[@jamestheengine]

12 mins at a red,finally gets into London Bridge 15 mins later says it all really

[@hezmeister]

this isn't game footage if that's what you mean, this is real life.

[@TheHairybaz]

quality right past my old digs at forest hill

[@jools2323]

If I hadn't had that spliff this might be a bit boring.

[@1madaboutguitar]

Cool, this is Railworks. But I don't think I have this route...

[@Joshuadrooney]

It's a real shame you felt the need to come here and make such rude and unnecessary comments about the country this was filmed, the country I was born and live in, and the country most people watching this come from. I'm sure others feel as insulted as I do, so let me make it very simple for you, if you have such a problem with our country, simply do not come here, if you have already been, don't come back, or simply watch videos filmed in countries you don't have an issue with.

[@muttt.whopull3252]

Did any 'Thameslink' train ever get to L41 signal and not find it at danger?

[@drewbelleza2958]

Bedford to Brighton, Via East Croydon.

[@RDL1984]

Fifteen minutes from Blackfriars to London Bridge? OMG... I'm surely there's more fast travelling by LUL.... (Blackfriars - Monument in District/Circle and Bank - London Bridge on Northern)... Maybe.... rush hour?

[@hezmeister]

well, it's definitely an fcc train, so most likely is a 319

[@Wikkus]

Any other Railworks/TS2013 drivers here try panning the camera along the way? :D

[@Scy]

That is a fuckload of trains! Busy lines...

[@darrencafferty]

glad you liked it 😀

[@Scy]

Well I think it's safe to say that london railways are the definition of organized chaos. I've played a bit of SimSig, and the first 15 mins of this video would be my worst nightmare as a signaller/area controller... :P

[@baronjutter]

I thought maybe the video was in black and white (and brown) but that's just England.

[@MrZmaster112]

how do you know the speed limit, is there a digital monitor or anything?

[@lordmwa25]

Right Away

[@webb011]

Whats the maximum line speed on the London to Brighton line? do they run up to 100mph in places?

[@theberengersniper]

Great video. As someone who loves trains but knows very little about them, could someone tell me what the 'RA' means on the signal at the start? Route available?

[@johnpatch7771]

Right Away

[@freqeist]

(although I would have liked to have seen the station names).

[@JDJLalor]

That's the tunnel near Preston Park isn't it?

[@611unterscharfuhrer]

smell the vinegar as you get to the bridge lol

[@juannolibos952]

Thew high pitch alarm each 20 seconds is the "Dead Man" system?

[@jameshatch8652]

Pity you chose to sit at signals for ages initially and then cut out East Croydon completely. Very disappointing!

[@treinfotobelgie370]

nice!

[@ACE999]

Think I'd take up smoking if I had to do your job. So much hanging about. Enjoyed the video though. :)

[@JDJLalor]

Forgot Penge West!

[@MAPLESHELL74]

I live 600 km from Malvinas Islands and I know perfectly well what you say about to love your own country. I don't know what he said but I perfectly know what England means to the world. Means arrogance and blood.

[@rickywright1264]

Malvinas? Are you getting them confused? How'd that Junta work out for you?

[@Apud1984]

Hi! Do you already know the sweet cat couple Layla & Cash? Aren't they cute? I love them! I wish you a great day! Bye Apud Sweet Cat Couple: Layla & Cash - Introduction (playful fighting)

[@tonyburn4972]

What a funny name you have. Do you all have funny names in the country where you live?